INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE: Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference, any and all U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents and printed matter cited or referred to in this application.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to portable sanitary containers and more particularly to such a container having novel features.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Davenport, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 366,743 describes a sanitary napkin receptacle design.
Saphier, U.S. Pat. No. 3,207,355 describes an off the floor refuse container comprising: a wall bracket, said wall bracket including a plate having a pair of hooks stamped out of the plane of said plate, a bucket having means for detachably connecting the same on said hooks, means for securing said bracket to a wall, said securing means including a strip of adhesive extending transversely of said plate adjacent to top and bottom-thereof, a portion of said plate below the lower most strip being bent outwardly from the wall to form a bumper for the lower portion of said bucket, a cover for said bucket, means for hingedly connecting said cover to the upper portion of said bracket, means for releasably latching said cover in operative closed position with respect to said bucket, said means including a latch pivotally connected to said cover, an actuator being pivotally connected to said cover, said actuator being operatively associated to said latch to effect displacement thereof when a force is applied to said actuator, a catch formed on said bucket for engaging said latch in the closed position of said cover, and spring means for normally biasing said latch and actuator toward inoperative opposition,
Pohl-Michel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,962 describes a bin for collecting refuse or garbage, for example womens' sanitary towels or napkins, comprising a tall narrow container which is open at the top and closed by a removable cover which has a substantially horizontal top surface. Disposed on the front of the bin, just below the cover, is an insertion opening having a closure flap which can be selectively opened and closed. Disposed in the interior of the bin is a bag for receiving inserted refuse or garbage. The closure flap has a shield means which projects into the interior of the bin and which covers an upper edge of the bag suspended in the bin, in the region of the insertion opening, so that refuse or garbage which is put into the bin can pass into the bag and not between the bag and the adjacent wall of the bin. The bag has suspension means at the sides thereof by means of which it can be suspended from carrying handles which project from the sides of the bin. Desirably, the bag is impregnated with or contains a deodorant and/or disinfectant substance.
Steingraber, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,503 describes a container of combustible material for disposal, in an ecologically satisfactory manner, of septic bodies, such as a used sanitary napkin, tampon or bandage. The container comprises two parts, with at least one part providing an open, obstructed space for the reception of the septic body. One of the parts of the container has an adhesive body which completely encircles it. The adhesive body is initially protected by a removable cover. When the parts are assembled, so that both parts are in contact with the adhesive, the adhesive provides a continuous bonding of the parts of the container to hermetically seal the container. The adhesive is sufficiently strong to prevent manual separation of the parts. The container may be used to ship and store an aseptic body, prior to use, and then be used for the reception, sealing and disposal of the same or a similar body which has become septic.
Scholl et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,238 describes an arrangement for storing wastes for household and sanitary applications having a waste container, a cover for closing the waste container, a cover opening mechanism, and an understructure which is mountable on a wall and other element and formed so that the waste container is supported on the understructure turnably so that a turning of the waste container leads to an opening of the cover.
McDonald, WO 94/02097 describes a sanitary item disposal unit that is formed by a disposable bag having an accordion pleated collapsible wall which unfolds in a longitudinal extending action of the bag as the sanitary item is withdrawn from a cavity, through a central aperture in a support panel, into the bag. Respective end portions of the bag support panel are pressure tape scaled for closing the bag and disposal of the sanitary item with its bag container.
The prior art teaches waste containers, refuse receptacles and bins, containers for septic objects such as sanitary napkins such as Tampons, but does not teach a container with adhesive bag and cover for fully sanitary service. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.